49ers' Anquan Boldin has Jim Harbaugh's back

SANTA CLARA -- Of all Anquan Boldin's reasons for re-signing Monday with the 49ers on a two-year deal, coach Jim Harbaugh's influence might be the most captivating, especially in this climate of perceived 49ers chaos.

Boldin dispelled any notion of locker-room discord with Harbaugh, who has taken the 49ers to the NFC Championship game in each of his three seasons as coach.

"I don't think there's any rift between players and coaches, particularly Coach Harbaugh," Boldin said Monday on a conference call. "He has good rapport with all the guys I know of. There's no gripes in the locker room when it comes to Coach Harbaugh."

Instead, Boldin credited Harbaugh with a "big role" in keeping the 11th-year wideout from reaching free agency March 11.

Boldin, 33, also cited the 49ers' Super Bowl chances and his family's attraction to the Bay Area. Plus, he'll get paid $6 million annually, the same as last season upon his trade from the Baltimore Ravens.

But when it came to Harbaugh, Boldin took the media's proverbial ball and ran with it, noting he "laughed" at a report (Sunday in the San Francisco Chronicle) stating Harbaugh's "act has worn thin in the locker room."

"He wants to win, and everybody in the locker room wants to do the same," Boldin said. "We're usually on the same page, and if not, we have it where we can talk to him, and he can talk to us."

Such cases indeed arose last season, and Boldin said Harbaugh has "taken into consideration how we felt."

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Harbaugh, in an interview with Sports Illustrated, disputed that he's seeking to become the league's highest-paid coach and obtain more personnel power entering his fourth season with the 49ers.

"I have never said to anybody that I want to be the highest-paid coach in football," said Harbaugh, who has two years remaining on a five-year, $25 million contract. " ... I coach the team. I told my owner I don't want any more power."

Harbaugh also attempted to quell reports of discontent between him and general manager Trent Baalke. CBSSports.com reported Feb. 23 that Harbaugh and Baalke barely speak and communicate mainly through email, to which Harbaugh said, "We talk daily, hourly."

Boldin spoke up as a Harbaugh ally Monday, adding: "I just like his demeanor, the way he approaches the game. He just wants to win. I'm the exact same way. We mesh pretty good. He was good to me the entire year. The entire organization was."

Boldin is guaranteed $8.5 million in his new deal. The 49ers acquired him last March from the Ravens for a 2013 sixth-round draft pick.

"He is a consummate professional whose love and respect for the game provide a tremendous example for all players," Baalke said in a statement.

Two months after the 49ers acquired Boldin, Michael Crabtree tore his right Achilles in practice, and that thrust Boldin into the No. 1 receiver role. From there, he produced a team-high 85 catches for 1,179 yards and seven touchdowns in the regular season. Of Boldin's 16 playoff receptions, eight (for 136 yards) came in a divisional win at Carolina.

Coaches voted Boldin as the team's MVP (Bill Walsh Award) last season, and he never appeared on an injury report throughout their march to the NFC Championship game.

Quarterback Colin Kaepernick targeted Boldin on 150 passes last season, according to ProFootballFocus.com. The only one that got intercepted was during a fourth-quarter free fall in the 23-17 loss to Seattle in the NFC final.

Boldin's new deal includes a $4.5 million signing bonus and $955,000 salary for this season, plus $500,000 in potential game-day roster bonuses, according to ProFootballTalk.com.

By not using the franchise or transition tag before Monday's deadline, the 49ers have several other key players headed for free agency: safety Donte Whitner, kicker Phil Dawson, cornerbacks Tarell Brown and Eric Wright, center Jonathan Goodwin, running back Anthony Dixon and wideout Mario Manningham.

Kaepernick is entering the final year of his rookie contract, and the team is believed to be negotiating with his representatives on a massive deal. The Boston Globe reported Sunday that Kaepernick is seeking $18 million per year.

Boldin expects Kaepernick and the passing offense to improve with time. Said Boldin: "I've only been able to play with Kap a full season now. I played with Crabtree a lot less than that. Once we have chance to really work with each other, we'll be fine. At end of year, we started doing good, especially when Crab got in the offense. We were a formidable offense."

Secondary coach Ed Donatell signed a two-year contract to remain in his role, and defensive coordinator Vic Fangio is closing in on a lucrative extension, according to a league source.